


The New Ward

by Jasper Kirby (blakesaregrates)



Series: The New Series [1]
Category: Starkid, Starkid Productions, Starship - Team StarKid, Team Starkid - Fandom
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe - Post-Canon, Gen, I mean it's basically a self insert, OC, Original Character - Freeform, Post-Canon, starship AU, whoops
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-22
Updated: 2018-04-22
Packaged: 2019-04-26 09:50:06
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,663
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14399562
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blakesaregrates/pseuds/Jasper%20Kirby
Summary: On a trip back to Earth, the G.L.E.E ship picked up an injured boy, close to death. Despite a vow never to use Space-Claw's methods ever again, Dr Harper couldn't just let the boy die.One-quarter robot and bed-bound, can the boy be helped by a man once in a similar position? Will Up be able to connect with the boy and help him come out of his shell? What's in store for Fletcher Holland now his home is gone, along with his left leg?





	The New Ward

**Author's Note:**

> The Starship Universe, the plot of Starship, all characters from Starship and anything resembling that of the musical Starship is all owned by Team Starkid. I only own the plot of this series, and the OC characters.

Up’s telecommunicator beeped with an incoming message. The greying man brought his wrist up to his mouth and answered the call. 

“Commander Up speaking, state your business,” he said professionally.

“Commander? You’re being requested in the infirmary, Sir,” came the young voice of what Up assumed was either a Private or a nurse (or both).

“Noted. I’m on my way,” he stated and cut the connection. He sighed, making his way to the infirmary. Was a member of his crew injured? He should hope not, or he would’ve been called down sooner and with much more urgency. 

He couldn’t help the limp, though he definitely held himself with tonnes more confidence than he did before the whole debacle with Bug World. He let himself into the infirmary, being met by Dr Harper at the front desk. 

“Good morning, Commander.”

“Good mornin’ Doctor, what can I do for ya?” he asked, leaning against the desktop.

Dr Harper tucked her long, blonde hair behind her ear and shifted the clipboard in her grip. “Now,” she said, almost as if she were preparing him for some bad news. “This is solely me asking you a favour, you obviously don’t have to take time out of your schedule: I just thought you would want a break after the...incident, with Junior and Dr SpaceClaw, and this is the perfect opportunity…” She sighed and glanced over her shoulder at a sectioned off area of the hospital wing.

“Whatever it is, Doc, I’m sure I ain’t too busy. Lay it on me,” Up replied with a smile. 

“Well...we recently picked up a young casualty, from a mission on Earth. A young man...he was severely injured. And...and I know we promised to never repeat Dr SpaceClaw’s crazy methods, despite how well they worked…” she trailed off, glancing at the Commander’s right arm. He subconsciously shifted his weight, shuffling his boot on the floor.

“Sarah…” he warned. “I don’ like where this is headin’…”

“He was going to die, Up! He has nothing on him and he wasn’t awake to give consent and I couldn’t let him go, Up - don’t you remember how we bent the rules when you brought Taz back? The Captain let you keep her on the ship and train her, despite all the rules against it. I couldn’t just let him die, Up…” she said, getting frustrated, mostly with herself.

Up did remember; he remembered clearly how Sarah had treated Taz just like any other ensign who was injured. She had cared for Taz and made her feel welcome.

“He was too badly injured, losing his entire leg and some of his bones in his hip. He lost a kidney and some of his liver too...We replaced everything we could, but he’s basically a quarter robotic, or at least prosthetic. We sincerely hoped you could be here for this kid, help him through like you did Taz. You are the only person who can understand what he’s going through. Please, Up?”

How on dead-God’s Earth could he say no?

“Fine...I’ll talk to the kid. Where is he, anyway?” he sighed, rubbing a hand over his face. It was no wonder he had grey hair at 30.

Dr Harper led him to the sectioned off room, which was dark with an overhead light illuminating the figure in the bed. His legs were under the thin blanket, but his torso was bandaged, blood seeping through on one side. The bandages led way to a flat, bony chest that was too pale and too thin to be healthy. The boy’s gaunt face was also pale with dark eyelashes falling onto his cheeks. The bags under his eyes were worse than Up’s and his dark hair was messy and tousled and looked to be matted with blood in some parts. 

The boy was obviously in a sort of sleep state, chest rising and falling rhythmically, almost matching the pace of the heart monitor that was beeping tantalisingly next to the bed. Many years of advanced medical science and heart monitors were still as scary and threatening as ever. 

Up lowered himself into the chair beside the bed, observing the boy. He did remind him of Taz a little: small and innocent when asleep, not the tough soldier she appeared to be at first glance. Dr Harper came over to the IV bag and fiddled with one of the settings - Up honestly had no clue what she was doing - until the boy started to stir. He moved around a little, eyes moving behind closed lids, a whimper escaping his throat when he tried to move his leg.

“It’s alright, sweetie, you’re okay. Just open your eyes,” Dr Harper whispered, and Up was reminded once again of the days after he rescued Taz from her Quinceañera-gone-wrong. The boy sighed deeply before stunning green eyes flew open and he tried to sit up, only causing himself even more pain. He cried out, some unintelligible sounds coming out of his mouth before his breath caught and he started coughing.

Up winced. Jeez, the kid sounded like he’d been through hell.

“Can you hear me, sweetheart?” Dr Harper said softly, crouching down beside the bed.

The boy stared at her with wide eyes before glancing over at Up. The Commander flashed him a comforting smile, which was reciprocated shyly. Up chuckled a little, then remembered why he was here. “So; what’s your name, son?” he asked, moving a little closer to the bed.

“My name is Fletcher, Sir; Fletcher Holland,” the boy replied, pushing the dark hair out of his face. 

“My name’s Up,” the older man replied with another grin.

“Alright Fletcher,” Dr Harper cut in. “I'm going to ask you a few questions to fill in our database and see if we can't locate records for you from somewhere.”

Up sat and watched as the boy answered the few questions, revealing that he was 17, his birthday was July 23rd, he was from England and he didn't have any ID or anything with him. Up pitied the boy, who honestly just looked scared and confused. After the first 2 questions, he had discovered the bandages, leading him to take on a more wary approach to everything.

When Dr Harper went off to start tracking files and information, Fletcher turned to Up. “Sir, where am I?” He asked, looking a more terrified by the moment.

Up sighed, moving his chair a little closer to the bed. “You’re in space, son. This is a Galactic League ship. Have you ever heard of the Starship Rangers?”

Fletcher frowned a little but nodded. “We learned a little bit about the Starship Rangers in history, but they don’t actually teach it in schools. You have to be 18 to learn about the Galactic League for Extraterrestrial Exploration,” he explained.

“Well, you’ll learn more about it while you’re here. You were found by a crew on Earth, alone and injured as far as I know. What do you remember?”

Swallowing, Fletcher ran a hand through his hair, sparing a glance down at the bandages on his hip. “I’d just finished school and got the bus back home. I usually get off the bus early and get something to eat in a small cafe. I had heard the warnings about the attack on the radio at school but our town was supposed to be out of the target area. I guess they were wrong because… it got dark, and when I looked up I saw a huge...something. It looked a bit like those UFOs you see in cartoons. Then the first hit landed and it was non-stop firing from then on...I remember pain and loud noises and smoke and...Up, what happened to me?”

Up bit his lip a little, then glanced over at the door that Dr Harper had left through. “I don’ know the exact details ‘cause I ain’t a doctor, but from what I gather...you’re lucky to be alive, son. According to the Rangers on the pod that brought ya back, you were the only survivor they found. But...you lost yer leg. It was too late to save it. I’m sorry, Fletcher, I...I know it’s hard.”

The boy was silent, most likely in shock. He reached out a shaky hand, prodding at the thing beneath the blanket he had probably assumed was his leg. “I...I l-lost it? Wh-what’s this then?” He asked, looking back over to Up. The kid’s brilliant green eyes were watery with tears and Up was harshly reminded of Tootsie’s face all the way back when they were about to leave Mega-girl on bug planet on that damn rescue mission.

“That’s a robot leg, son. It’ll be attached to whatever skin and bone Dr Harper could salvage from your injury. I think she mentioned something about yer hip, but you’re best off asking her about it,” he said softly, glancing down pitifully at the boy. He looked so small and innocent, nothing like he remembered 15-year-olds to look like. Then again, Taz was tough despite being small for her age.

Fletcher nodded and wiped his eyes. “So I’m...I’m a robot?” he asked, worried. 

“No,” Up responded softly. “You’re are no less of a human bein’ than you were before. If anything, you’re stronger,” he said with a reassuring smile.

Just as Fletcher looked as if he was about to say something, Up’s telecommunicator beeped. The Commander sighed as he stood up. “Sorry, Fletcher, I'm needed elsewhere. It was nice talking to you, son,” he said, smiling a little as he stood up. He held out a hand to shake, which was met by a smaller, colder hand. 

“You too, Sir…” He said quietly, watching the greying man turn to leave. Just as he reached the door, Fletcher called out. “Oh um, Up?” The man turned back with a raised eyebrow. “C-come see me again?” He asked, ducking his head shyly.

Up beamed. “Certainly.”

**Author's Note:**

> This is just something I wrote a while back, since I'm obsessed with Starkid, and especially the Starship Universe (mostly after reading Learning to Dance, which I highly recommend you do if you like Starship even just a little bit). It's part of a mini-series I've been working on, but I haven't added to this first instalment in a while. Let me know what you think and hopefully, I'll write some more of this instead of adding to Part 2 of the series...


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